New gaffer wants to share talent with Davy Fitz

Incoming Clare football boss Colm Collins has revealed how he hopes to recruit a number of the Banner’s hurling heroes for 2014.

Following Aidan Walsh’s recent decision to try his hand at both codes at the highest level for Cork next year, Collins says he has already spoken to hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald about the possibility of some players combining the two.

“Hopefully we will be able to share some players, yeah, come to an agreement and I don’t see why not,” he said.

Collins is doubling up at present as manager of Cratloe, who won their place in the Munster club football final against Dr Crokes on Sunday week after a hectic weekend.

Given Clare’s lengthy under-21 and senior hurling campaigns this year the local championships were delayed to the point where the senior football final only took place on Saturday with the winners expected to compete in the Munster semi-final just 24 hours later.

And Cratloe saw off Doonbeg before overcoming Waterford’s Ballinacourty the following day.

On the fact that his players were forced to play two big games on successive days, he added: “It is wrong and inappropriate but there are a lot of things involved here.

“I think, number one, the Munster club game should have been deferred by a week. There’s two weeks to the Munster final. That would have been the common sense thing to do.

“The Clare fixture schedule of course needs revisiting but hopefully that will be sorted this coming year and we won’t make the same mistakes again.”

Collins makes a fair point, particularly in the context of how one of the Munster hurling semi-finals was postponed to facilitate the Clare SHC running late.

Sixmilebridge won the county hurling final over a week ago before going on to beat Midleton this weekend to qualify for next Sunday’s final against Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh.

And the ‘Bridge won a coin toss for home advantage yesterday afternoon which means that the decider will take place at Cusack Park in Ennis with the Munster Council reluctant to stage the game in front of a paltry crowd in Thurles.

“I wouldn’t have minded either way but we’d rather play at home,” said Sixmilebridge manager John O’Meara. “We’re thrilled to have it at home. It has to give you some bit of advantage.”